Newark School board meets
By John Zornow

The Newark School Board met on October 7. An executive session preceded the regular meeting. On that agenda were NTA Negotiations, an NTA grievance, evaluation of individual staff and individual student discipline.

In regular session, Superintendent of Schools Robert Christmann spoke about the ongoing dispute over the sales tax issue/STAR program. Christmann indicated that a decision will be made prior to December 30.

An update was presented on the $7.2 million maintenance/renovation project. Representatives from Christa Construction were at the meeting to answer questions from board members about the progress of the renovations.

Updates were given about issues such as science rooms, art rooms and telephone systems in particular. Board member Dave Honness asked that the sub-contractor for the new telephone system be at the October 14 meeting to give a report.

Honness then asked about progress in the auditoriums and was told that the major part of those areas would be completed during the year-end holidays. All board members agreed that a reporting system by the faculty would be helpful in identifying areas of the project that need attention.

All buildings are ready for the heating season, except the High School, which will be on line this week. Board President Dave Howard asked for a list to be presented at the October 21 meeting that would include any phase of the project that is not complete.

A presentation was made by Dave Lines of Thomas Associates, Architects and Engineers, on a proposed building project. Lines described the latest preliminary additions and changes that would be included in a possible building program. Added classrooms, for both BOCES and Newark use, library and media expansion, a deeper and wider swimming pool, as well as expanded sports areas are examples of what a project could create, if pursued by the board. Planners are making sure that all proposed additions and renovations would be 90.8 percent State Aid funded.

top of page

Copyright © 1998
Courier-Gazette, 613 S. Main St. Newark, N.Y. 14513
All Rights Reserved